


Maybe we can make this work

by Emmegb



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Famous!Rey, Professor!Kylo, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-16 06:46:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5818225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmegb/pseuds/Emmegb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Rey, I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend, for a week, possibly in front of the media, even though we haven't spoken in years, and my ex-girlfriend was completely horrible to you, and you talk to my parents more than I do.”</p><p>Ben and his girlfriend are invited to his ex-girlfriend's wedding, only Ben doesn't have a girlfriend. Thus, he desperately tries to find one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Maybe we can make this work

**Author's Note:**

> This story is set in Australia. Also, this is my first fanfic, so I hope you enjoy.

Ben Solo was stuck. Of course, being a professor of mathematics, he was accustomed to solving problems of great difficulty in which he would be confused for hours, running through mazes of patterns, figures, and clues that could lead to solutions. In the hours, days even, in which he was stuck, many observed him chucking toddler-like tantrums, which many thought that perhaps were partially caused for a lack of tantrums at a young age. Ben loved mathematics, and problem solving was something he was extremely skilled at. While others were quick to call him a genius, he more hesitant and was very humble, something many did not expect of him. 

And yet, despite his brilliance, he was still stuck. It had been six weeks now since presented with this problem, and his increased frustration was not making things easier for him. Of course, this was a social problem. 

***

The invitation had arrived exactly six weeks earlier in mailbox. It was not a surprise, in fact he had expected it, but it was still unpleasant to receive the physical confirmation. 

"Dear Mr Kylo Ren,  
You are cordially invited to the wedding of Eileen Susanna Phasma and Charles Reginald Matthew Huxley."

Ben had scoffed at the pairing of the two names, and almost decided to rip the card in half, before reconsidering. The use of the nickname they had called him for so long made him feel incredibly uncomfortable. 

"As the couple wish for the gathering to be a beautiful, intimate affair, surrounded by their closest friends and loved ones, you are requested only to bring a plus one only."

Ben hardly considered himself particularly to the couple, and was quite surprised in some ways that he was invited. He then turned the card to see writing in such a familiar script that for some strange reason made him weep. It was Phasma's writing (he couldn't bring himself to call her by her first name) in the custom blue ink he would buy her: "Excited to see where your love life has gone! Is your new girlfriend as pretty as me?” 

Huh. More like she's non-existent. 

Ben re-read the invitation; it was a destination wedding, to be held on the Huxley family private island, off the coast of Queensland, and the airfare had been paid in advance, to make him feel guilty if he didn't come.  He knew that there was an invitation coming after his housekeeper had been asked if he was busy on the date it was being held, and sadly, she had already told them he was unoccupied. So ever since then, Ben had been pondering who he could bring to the wedding. He had considered all possibilities, from strangers on the bus, to his colleagues at work, and even his housekeeper (but for the fact that she was very pregnant, and her due date was around the time of the wedding. He had been on the receiving end of many strange looks after he had stared intensely at females, considering if they had the qualities to be his date. He knew that Phasma knew that he was very straight, so he could not bring a guy. It was impossible for him to imagine any physical contact with a guy, so he that was off the table straight away. 

The fact was that Ben was very shy in general, so it was hard for him to be comfortable with people that he hadn’t met before, which would make it difficult to pretend that someone was his girlfriend if he didn’t know her very well. This put hiring an escort out of the question. 

He had even considered not bringing someone, but he wanted to show Phasma that he was better than her, that after she had completely broken his heart, and emotionally manipulated him, that he could have a successful relationship. 

So, like any good mathematician, Ben had ranked all the females he knew in terms of probability of the success of their fake relationship. He had graphs of the amount of time that they could have gotten together, how much he would have to pay to get them to Sydney, written fake backstories for each of them, and rated out of ten how comfortable he was with them to actually ask them for this large favour. 

***

Thus began the calls; Ben called each woman individually, and with most of them, was unable to even ask them for the favour, as their significant other had answered the phone. The few that he did ask had been busy, or weren’t really comfortable going somewhere with him, were also very pregnant, or some other excuse. 

As he came to his last name on the list, Ben found himself to be quite desperate. “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.” He quoted to no one as the phone rung.

“You always loved those Star Wars movies didn’t you.” Ben was shocked that she had actually picked up the phone. 

“Sorry, I didn’t noti- hi Rey.” He awkwardly stuttered. 

“It’s been a while Ben. We haven’t talked since, well before that girl contacted me and threatened me with physical violence, or certain death if I tried to contact you.” 

“She did? Well, speaking of Phasma, can I ask you a huge favour?” He was almost certain that she was going to say no after how their communication had ended. 

Before she could respond, he started to explain. “Phasma and Huxley are getting married on December 16th to 22nd, on Huxley’s private island, and I was wondering if you could go with me. It’s just, I can’t really face Phasma alone, and I thought about bring a stranger, but then I realised it would be awkward for me, and I could hardly take someone she actually knew when I was in a relationship with her, so, I was wondering if you would come with me please! You were the last person I was going to ask, and at this point I’m really desperate, as no one has been willing to come so far.” He rambled on, and hoped she would get what he was saying.

“Sure, but should I bring someone else? More moral support?” 

He was relieved that she was willing, before he realised that she hadn’t completely understood. 

“Rey, I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend, for a week, possibly in front of the media, even though we haven't spoken in years, and my ex-girlfriend was completely horrible to you, and you talk to my parents more than I do.”

“Oh,” was her only response. 

“Yeah,” he replied quickly. 

“Umm,” she mumbled. 

After several moments of awkward silence, he murmured, “I’ll pay you.” 

She considered for several moments longer, “Yes, I will come. I won’t accept your money, because I don’t need it, but I will get you to make a charitable donation on my behalf. Additionally, we are going to draw up a set of rules as to which we will stick to the entire time. I will have my publicist arrange rumours, an announcement of, and magazine article about our relationship so that it is actually believable. I know you’ve written us a backstory, but I get to re-write it. You will also repair your relationship with your parents, and will be only lovely to me for the week. You will stay in touch with me afterwards, and we will repair our relationship too.” As she said this, Ben thought how lovely her voice had always sounded; it had hardly changed since they had played video games as children, snuck over to each others' houses, and were each others’ first kiss as teenagers. 

“I love you, Rey.” He slipped out. 

“I’m sorry what?” She questioned.

“Nothing. Thank you so much for this, I owe you, big time.” 

“You sure do.” 

He finally hung up, relieved that she had been willing to say yes. Now they had to actually had to pretend that they were in a relationship.

But he had solved his problem. Ben was no longer stuck.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos and comments if you enjoyed. More to come if people enjoy this.


End file.
